​                             English
Competence in English is a key to success in all areas of the curriculum.  We aim to ensure that all children are given the opportunity to reach their full potential in the areas of reading, writing, speaking and listening.
Reading and writing are both taught every day, we follow the National Primary Framework. The whole class shares a focus for the learning for the day, then divides into groups for reading and writing activities.
We work hard to instil in children a love of books and enjoyment in reading.  Children are given a wide variety of reading experiences including reading to adults, silent reading, shared reading, reading aloud for an audience and reading for information.  Children take books home so they can read with their parents.  Through the discussion of characters, plots and illustrations we hope to help children become discerning, successful readers aware of the many different types of literature.
We aim to make the writing children undertake purposeful and meaningful.  Children are taught the need to write in different ways at different times.  Writing activities take many different forms (e.g. stories, poems, letters, reports, lists and instructions) and are used in subjects across the curriculum.  As the skills of the knowledge and usage of language develop we encourage children to revise and redraft their own work.  We consider careful, neat presentation of written work to be important.  Handwriting and spelling lessons take place throughout the school.  We teach children to take pride in their work.
Speaking and listening skills are developed through activities such as story telling, discussions, drama and games.  We teach children to express themselves clearly, with confidence, knowing their contributions will be valued, and to listen to and to respect the ideas and opinions of others.

                                      Mathematics
Mathematics like English is an all pervading subject and an essential life skill.  The main teaching of mathematics follows the National Primary Framework for Mathematics.  We aim to help children develop their knowledge and understanding of Mathematics in an enjoyable way.  The Mathematics curriculum is delivered through a balance of practical, investigational and problem solving tasks. We are keen to encourage the use of mental as well as written methods in our approach to number work.  Our pupils are given the opportunity to work both in groups and individually, using a variety of resources.

                                                      Science
Through our Science Curriculum we aim to give children the experience of a wide range of practical work as well as developing scientific skills and attitudes.  Science helps children to understand more about the world around them and encourages them to question aspects that they don’t understand.  Children are given an awareness of the role and importance of Science in everyday life together with a consideration of the part that Science has played in the development of everyday items.  Our children are also given the opportunity to consider ways in which living things and the environment need protection.  The Science curriculum provides the necessary range and depth of experiences to satisfy the requirements of the National Curriculum and ensures that there is a progressive development of skills as children move through the school.  We will teach pupils to observe and measure accurately, to predict outcomes and to classify record and communicate their experiences.  Science is planned as a separate subject, but we make full use of cross-curricular links, encouraging the use of science skills in a variety of situations.

                                                                  ICT
Children are given many opportunities to develop their ICT skills throughout all areas of the curriculum.  We are proud of the ICT facilities we have at St. Bernard’s.  All classes have access to computers within their classrooms.  We have an ICT suite, which contains fully networked computers, enabling a whole class to learn together.  We also have smartboards, which makes learning exciting and interactive.

 

Each class has a weekly session in the ICT suite in which they learn new techniques and skills.  The children are encouraged to apply their skills in other areas for example in presenting written work, designing posters and book covers, tabulating analysing and charting the results of surveys and experiments.
Our aim is to provide children with the skills to live in the 21st century and we are constantly updating our facilities to ensure our children have access to the best.

 

            History                                                  

​Through History our pupils learn about significant people, events and places from both the recent and more distant past.  They learn that the past can be represented and interpreted in different ways.

In History children learn to place events in chronological order.  They start with their own life History and experiences, their parents, grandparents and the History of Gibraltar.

                                                Geography
Pupils investigate a variety of people, places and environments, including the local area.
The children learn of their immediate environment compared to other areas in Gibraltar and later compared to other areas in the world.
Children are encouraged to ask geographical questions, and use geographical skills and resources such as maps, atlases, aerial photographs and ICT.


                               Art & Design
Through Art our children are encouraged to develop their creativity and imagination.  Children are encouraged to build on skills to develop their control of materials, tools and techniques.
We develop our children’s critical awareness of the roles and purposes of Art, Craft and Design in different times and cultures.  Our aim is for children to become more confident in using visual and tactile elements and materials and processes to communicate what they see, feel and think.

                                   Design Technology
Through this subject we aim to develop skills of investigating, planning, making and modifying.  This subject is linked very often to other areas of the Curriculum such as Science (food technology – as in cooking) Art and Humanities.  Children are encouraged to evaluate their activities in order to learn from one another.

                                                                  P.E.
Children are expected to participate in all P.E. activities.  Throughout their time at St. Bernard’s children will have experience of dance, gymnastics, swimming, athletics and outdoor games.  Together, these promote the children’s physical development, and awareness and understanding of the body, the development of skills and imagination and an appreciation of creative performances.  Most importantly, it is hoped that the children will gain enjoyment from physical education and pursue sporting activities in their private lives, thus promoting a healthy lifestyle.

                                                                Music
Children participate in a range of musical activities, which include singing, composing and performing, using percussion instruments.  They listen to and discuss a variety of styles of music.
There are opportunities for children to join the school choir and perform at different times throughout the year.

                                                               R.E.
At St. Bernard’s we provide a caring environment for children from all kinds of backgrounds.  In Religious Education we aim to explore and to foster an understanding of the part played by religion in human experience.  We aim through R.E., to help the children acquire appropriate attitudes, values and beliefs.
Children may be withdrawn from religious education and assemblies at the request of parents.

                          PSHE & Citizenship
The programme of study for PSHE ensures that all children are given the opportunity to develop emotionally and spiritually, progressing from very simple ideas about friendship and family to discussions about peer group pressure and independent thought and action.  We also encourage the children to look after themselves by leading a healthy lifestyle.
We endeavour to promote healthy eating in our school.  Drinks and playtime snacks may be brought in but no fizzy drinks, sweets, cans or glass bottles please.
Every Friday is ‘Fruity Friday’ children should bring a piece of fruit for their playtime snack.

                             School Assemblies
Once a week each year group comes together for an assembly, usually led by the Headteacher.  Here PSHE themes are explored, discussed and reinforced.

                              Learning Special Needs
Most children at some time in their school career require special help in one area of learning or another.  More often than not the class teacher deals with this successfully but, in more persistent cases, our Special Needs Co-ordinator will help the class teacher to devise a programme of support.  She will also monitor progress alongside the teacher and liaise with more specialist colleagues such as Educational psychologists.  Children with Special Educational Needs are placed on a register and categorised as School Action or School Action Plus in line with the Special Needs Code of Practice.